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Links to standards for all the farmed animals covered by the scheme are at http://www.freedomfood.co.uk/Industry/rspca-welfare-standards

The standards are higher than the legal minimum, though there seems to be some debate about just how much higher. However Compassion in World Farming, who have probably done more to change farming practice than anyone, do recommend buying products with the FF mark. Red Tractor simply indicates that the food was produced in the UK on a farm that met minimum legal standards on the day of inspection.

I do agree that things will only get better little by little, and we can help the change to happen by supporting those who are doing their best to improve things. Unfortunately though, improved welfare does come at a cost, and for many struggling to make ends meet it's just not an option to pay extra when there's a cheaper option available.

Noticed on the Freedom Food home page it states that the FF mark is going to be rebranded as “RSPCA Assured“. Can't help thinking this is a mistake, given the awful reputation the RSPCA has with so many people...

The RSPCA has a bad reputation for two reasons:-

Firstly - the media find it an easy defenceless organisation to pick on and produce cheap news.

Secondly - People assume that the RSPCA has an obligation to do everything and that they have unlimited funds.

If you want the RSPCA to do more then they need more donations not a continual battering for what they were unable to do.

Not saying the reputation is necessarily deserved, I've no personal experience so couldn't say. But the reputation exists without a doubt, and I'm sure the RSPCA must know that. I have a number of friends in various different parts of the country who would call on any of the other animal welfare charities before the RSPCA, based on their past dealings. So (rightly or wrongly) the fact the scheme bears the RSPCA name will make it less trustworthy in their eyes. Which is a shame, because at the moment it's the best we've got

One of the reasons I feel you just cant sit back and allow these massive animal factories to happen without protest , is that they undeniably encourage more people to eat more meat . That is basically all the producers care about . They obviously are keen to get the FF stamp, because it gives them compassion cred, , and attract extra sales. More meat animals = more cruelty.

WHATEVER the standards are SUPPOSED to be, over and over and over again , when the limelight is not on them , the reality, is that FF outfit or not, only lip service is paid to the rules, shortcuts are human nature, and cruelty goes on , and because such high numbers of animals are involved in a superfarm ,the amount of cruelty can be massive .

I dont think you can have an animal factory situation , and expect the workers after a while, to even see their product as 'sentient'. Their emphasis is going to be to keep the mechanical production line going no matter what. An animal with a limp from a sore hoof, one with severe tooth rot, internal pain, is not going to be even noticed as it might be on a small farm .
Even on smallish FF farms , we are hoodwinked into thinking all must be hunkydory because the RSPCA are 'overseeing it' Yeah right! Cobby is right , people are waking up to the shortcomings of the RSPCA. I personally have a lot of time for the bottom sharp end layer of the RSPCA, but the top layer need sorting out if they want to improve their image.

Read as an example what these people are saying.

https://www.facebook.com/altrinchamrspca/posts/649110351798497

The majority of the animal rearers and abattoirs do not advertise or actively promote their meat products, its the middle men that do like unions, federations, assurance schemes and retailers.

The only exception that springs to mind is Bernard Matthews, no doubt there are a few more but it only represents a minor proportion of the trade.

We need to eat meat, the average person wouldn't be able to ensure they have adequate nutrients if they were put on a vegetarian diet. Vitamin B12, taurine, fatty acid DHA, and protein are all essential nutrients that are difficult to maintain as a human herbivore.

We are omnivores and should have a mixture of meat and plants.